Machine for compacting and solidifying concrete and other plastic material



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,727 R. c. STUBBS MACHINE FOR COMPACTING AND SOLIDIFYING CONCRETE AND OTHER PLASTIC MATERIAL Filed D50. 10. 1924 ROBERT 0.5 TUBES- mQ Q Paton ted Jm. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

ROBERT C. STUBBS, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS; MARIE M. STUBBS EXECUTRIX ROBERT C. STUBBS, DECEASED.

CHINE FOR COMPIAGTING AND SOLIDIFYING CONCRETE AND OTHER PLASTIC MATERIAL.

Application and December 10, 1924. Serial No. 754,942.

M invention relates to a process of compactmg and solidifyin freshly laid concrete and other materia for making streets and roads and the like; and the object is to rovide a process'of compactin material y a constantly acting and moving means and which will move forward automatically as fast as it compacts the material over which it is moving. The moving device or machine must compact to some extent before it can move in case of freshly laid concrete. One advantage of such process of compacting and solidifying material is that it will be compacted and solidified umformly and the moving forward is automatic since thedevice is a traveling means in itself when set in action and needs no traction means. tages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention Wlll be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form part of this application.

lFig. 1 is a side elevation of the device or compacting machine.

Fig. 2' is a plan view of the same.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The machine or device for carrying out the process herein set forth includes a platform 1 or a transmitting unit for applying the force of the blows or strokes of the mar-- chine to the material to be compacted or solidified. The forward section 18 of the transmitting unit 1 must be of such structure as to let surplusmotar and water pass from the surface of the material.

The operating devices. include a crankshaft 3 and a plurality of crank cases 4 with the crank-shaft journaled in all the crankcases. Each crank case a has a curved rack 5 which is a true circle in form. Each crank-case has a sleeve bearing 6 on each side for engaging the shaft 3 and the sleeve bearings are journaled in bearings 7 which are bolted 'to the platform 1. Casings 8 are formed by extending the crank-cases 4. The object of the racks 5 is to set the cases 8 at different angles. Pinions 9 are journaled in extensions 10 of the crank-cases 4 and these pinions 9 are provided with cranks Other objects and advan- 11 for turning the pinions 9. When the pinions 9 are turned the crank cases 4: and the casings 8 will be turned and in this manner, the casings 8 can be set any required angle. The pinions 9 look the racks 5 agalnst turning except for adjusting purposes.

The means for accomplishing the compacting .and for causing the apparatus to move consists of a plurality of weighted plungers 12. There should be a fixed ratio of the weight on the plungers as compared with the weight of the platform. The plungers .12 are pivotally connected to link bars 13 which engage the crank-shaft 3 within the casings or crank-cases 4-. Guides 14 are provided for the plungers 12. The guides .14, plungers 12 and the weights 15 on the plungers are inclosed by the casings 8. The shaft 3 is driven by a motor 16 and suitable gearing 17. There may be any suitable number of plungers 12 with their attachments. Each plunger 12 with its attachments constitutes a compacting unit. More units may be employed by coupling additional sections of shafts to the shaft 3. There may be more or less weight mounted on the plunger 12. When the shaft 3 is driven the plungers 12 operate as plungers on other inds of machinery, but the plungers with their weights are used for a new purpose and they perform two functions in this process.

If the casing 8 are set vertically as shown by full line in Fig. 1, theplungers 12 will} act to apply force to the platform 1 and lift the platform without moving the platform away from its location. Only the material directly under the platform would be compacted and solidified. But if the casings 8 are inclined as shown by dotted outlines in Fig. 1, there would be the same application of force to the platform 1, but the platform, 1 would be lifted up with each outward thrust of the pistons and moved in the direction of the inclination of the pistons in the casings 8. If the casings are inclined as shown in Fig. 2, the platform 1 would be moved to the left. If the casings 8 were inclined to the right as shown by dotted outlines in Fig. 1, the latform 1 would move to the ri ht when t e shaft 3 is driven. If one half of the casings 8 I movement of the are inclined one way and the other half inclined the other way, the platform 1 would turn around.

In operation, the plungers 12 on their inward strokes ap ly force to the platform 1 and cause the atform to compactthe material because t e platform will not move on the inward thrusts of the plungers. On the outward strokes of the plungers 12 the platform 1 would be lifted up and moved in the direction of the outward movement of the plungers by reason of the momentum of the lungers with their weights. By such gra ual movement of the platform, the material is thoroughly compacted. The movement of the latform can be regulated by the amount 0 the inclination of the plungers and the casings 8, the more the plungers are inclined, the faster the movement of the platform 1, within a limited range of the inclination of the plungers.

For compacting freshly laid concrete, an attachment 18 is connected to the forward edge of the platform. This attachment consists of a plurality of thin bars spaced apart for the purpose of pressing down the large particles of coarse aggregate of the mass and for permitting the surface mortar and water or liquids and semi-liquids to pass between the bars and escape from the mass.

The compacting of the material and the latform are both accomplished the reciprocation of the plungers b 12 with their weights. The platform 1 can be made as heavy as may be required. The

. material is thus compacted and solidified by the compacting effect of the inward strokes of the plungers and by the weight of the latform. The platform is alternately driven down on the material and moved forward by the constant action of the plungers with their weights. The platform will not move backward because of the friction against the compacted material. The plungers tend to lift the platform upwardly and forwardly at the same time.

The machine herein described is both a solidifying and finishing device. The forward section of the device consists of compacting bars 18 or a slotted section of the device, or the forward section 18 may be simpl a perforated portion of the platform, the 0 ject being to pack down the coarser content of the mass of material and to force the surface mortar or liquid or semi-liquid and air out of the mass. This surface mass must have an outlet through the forward section or part of the platform.

In the roadway design for building highways of widths up to 20 feet or so, the platform will be in sections approximately 5 or 6 feet in road width, connected continuously across the roadwa from form to form forming a continuous ridge across the road that rests upon the struck-off concrete and of sufiicient rigidity to form the entire road width into a surface of desired crown while being compacted and squeezed into place. The various sections of such a machine are capable of being removed as desired for roads of less width, or added to for roadways of greater width. Exact width is not required ecause the platform extends out over the side forms while resting on the concrete and surfacing stone between the forms. A foot too wide would not interfere with the operation, and a foot or several feet short in width would merely mean that the machine would have to travel forward its width, then backward and over, then forward again, which motion is simple and easily accomplished, which would be the procedure in the case of laying streets of considerable width.

The machine travels by a rocess of combining frictional contact wit base firmness and force of the strokes of the reel rocating plungers proportional to the weig t of the machine to be carried forward. A plurality of weighted plungers are operatively mounted to reciprocate in guideways in the casings and the casings are changeable to any desired angle with the base line or direction whereby the downward plunge of the reciprocating'plungers shall be opposed by frictional contact with the surface while the outward plunge or thrust shall have no resistance except the weight of the device to be shifted or moved forward over the surface of the material.

What I claim is 1- 1. A machine for solidifying concrete and other materials comprising a platform to the surface of means for alternate application of a compacting device'to the platform and for moving forward of the platform by the projection of the compacting device in the opposite direction.

2. A machine for solidifying concrete and other materials comprising a platform to the surface of the material and means for applying a series of compacting devices operatively connected to the platform throughout the width of the platform by reciprocating the com acting devices to cause the alternate app ication of force to the platform and to cause a moving forward of t e platform.

3. A machine for compacting, solidifying and finishing concrete and other material which comprises a platform and a force applying traction device for alternately forcing said platform downwardly and d iving the same forwardly on the surface of the material, the downward and backward thrust of the device accomplishing the compacting of the material and the u )ward and forward thrust of the device e ecting the forward movement of the device.

4. A machine for compacting, solidifying and finishing concrete and other material which comprises a platform and force created by reciprocating devices operatively connected to said platform, the force creating the downward and backward movements of the devices being applied to the latform lying on the surface of the materia and the force created by the upward-and forward movements of the devices being utilized to advance the platform over the surface of the material.

a 5'. A machine for compacting concrete and other material comprising a platform to be placed in contact with material to be compacted and solidified, a reciprocating plun er for exerting force on the material throug said platform, and operative connections of said lunger with said latform for utilizing tie rebound of sai plunger for forward movement of said platform.

6. A machine for compacting and solidifying concrete and other material which comprises a platform to be applied to the surface of the material and a reciprocating plunger for alternately applying force downwardly on and pressing said platform on the surface of the material and then utilizing the rebound of said plunger for movin said platform forwardly.

n testimony whereof, I set my hand, 2nd day of December, 1924.

ROBERT C. STUBBS. 

